The Adverb
1. The adverb is a word used to modify or limit the meaning of a verb, or participle, of an adjective, or of an other adverb. It also, sometimes, modifies a noun, a preposition, the clause of a sentence, and even a whole sentence.
It is a convenient and most important class of words, express ing in a single word what would otherwise require several words, and thus rendering language more concise and impressive. Thus, solemnly expresses the same idea as the phrase, in a solemn manner.
2. Adverbs are either primitive, or derivative; the former being used only as adverbs (e. g., not, now, then, &c.); the latter being derived from nouns or adjectives; as, nightly, hourly; softly, piously, meekly.
CLASSES OF ADVERBS
(1.) Adverbs of PLACE, which answer to the questions, where? whither? whence? and indicate either the place in which, to which, or from which. Among these are, here, where, there, yon der, nowhere, up, down, anywhere, somewhere, elsewhere, within, without, whither, thither, hither, whence, &c.
(2.) Adverbs of TIME, answering to the questions, when? how often referring to time past; as, yesterday, lately, recently, al ready, &c. to time present; as, now, to-day, instantly, &c.: to time future; as, hereafter, to-morrow, by-and-by, &c.: to time absolute; as, never, always, ever, &c.: to time relative; as, then, when, before, after, while, &c.: to time repeated; as, often, again, occasionally, &c.: to order of time; as, first, secondly, &c.
(3.) Adverbs of NUMBER, answering to the question, how many? as, once, twice, &c., firstly, secondly, &c.
(4.) Adverbs of DEGREE, answering to the question, how much? as, little, much, greatly, very, far, full, fully, enough, infinitely, scarcely, but, partly, merely, almost, how, however, &c.
(5.) Adverbs of MANNER, answering to the question, how?
These are subdivided:
(1) into adverbs of quality; as, well, ill, wisely, fain, &c.
(2) Of doubt; as, possibly.
(3) Of affirmation; as, truly, doubtless, yea, yes, indeed, &c.
(4) Of negation; as, no, not, nay, by no means, not at all, &c.
(5) Of interrogation; as, how, why, wherefore, &c. (6) Of comparison; as, more, most, better, best, worse, worst, less, least, very, almost, little, alike, &c.
(6.) Adverbs of place (here, there, and where) compounded with a preposition; as, hereof, thereof, whereof; hereto, thereto, where to; hereby, &c.; herewith, &c.; herein, &c.; therefore (therefor), &c.; hereupon, &c.
(7.) Adverbs compounded of a noun with a prefix a, used in stead of at or on; as, aside, ahead, &c.
(8.) Conjoining Adverbs or Adverbial Conjunctions; as, when, where, whence, wherever, &c., which often conjoin sentences, be sides expressing the attributes of time and place.
3. Comparative and Superlative Degrees of an adverb are expressed, in some cases, by adding er and est to the simple adverb; in other cases by prefixing more and most; as, soon, sooner, soonest; truly, more truly, most truly. Other adverbs are irregular; as, badly, worse, worst; much, more, most; well, better, best.
POSITION OF ADVERBS IN A SENTENCE, AND THEIR MISAPPLICATION
1. The adverbs only and merely are very liable to be wrongly placed; thus, in the sentence: "We find that the words were not only uttered by a mortal man like ourselves, but by one who was more than most others exposed," &c. This position of only leads us to expect that some other act than utterance was performed, whereas it should have been so placed as to present the antithesis between a mortal man, simply, and other men peculiarly exposed, &c. Hence not only should be placed after uttered. The arrange 11.ent would be still better thus: "These words were uttered by a man not only mortal like ourselves, but by one," &c.
2. The meaning of a sentence may be altogether changed by different locations of this adverb. Thus: "I only am left to tell thee," means, "I, and no one besides." "I am left only to tell thee," means, "I am left for no other purpose than to tell thee." "I am left to tell thee only," means, "to tell no other person."
The following sentence requires correction: "He had suffered the woodward only to use his discretion in the distant woods. In the groves about his house, he allowed no marking hammer but his own." This means that he had suffered no other person than the woodward to use, &c.; but the next sentence shows that a different meaning was intended, and which is conveyed by placing only after woods. The best arrangement is the following: "It was in the distant woods only that he suffered the wood ward," &c.
3. The adverbs chiefly, at least, first, require similar care in their location.
4. Ever and never should not be confounded and misapplied, as in the following instances: "The Lord is king, be the people never so impatient." "If I make myself never so clean." "Charm he never so wisely." "Let the offence be of never so high a na ture." The word never is an adverb of time, and not of degree, whereas, in such sentences, an adverb of degree is wanted, and ever, being an adverb of degree as well as of time, is proper to be used instead of never. So in the following example: "If I take over so much of it will not hurt me."
5. A double negative is not consistent with modern polite usage, if a negation be intended. "Nor did he not observe them," means, "He did observe them." "His manners are not inelegant," means, "His manners are (somewhat) elegant." Such a phrase as, "He did not pay nothing," must not therefore be used to express the idea, "He did not pay any thing."
6. Exceedingly is usually applied in a good sense; excessively in a bad sense; as, "exceedingly good;" "excessively bad." 7. Only must not be confounded with alone; as, "The alone. God." It should be, "The only God;" i. e., there is no other be sides him. "The alone God" would mean, "God unattended by another."
EXERCISES.
Write correctly, as to arrangement and use of adverbs, the following sentences:
I am resolved to have that pleasure, whether I am there or no. Whether love be natural or no. Not only we found her busy, but pleased and happy even. We always should prefer happiness to pleasure. He was excessively generous. The other was exceedingly mean. Never so little medicine is injurious.. Gentle men are not requested to enter the ladies' cabin. I never did repent of doing good, nor shall not now. Never no imitator grew up to his author. Never so little labor wearies her. I cannot by no means allow you to do this. Nor let no physician be sent for. Ariosto, Tasso, Galileo, no more than Raphael, were not born in republics.
POSITION OF ADVERBS IN A SENTENCE
Great care must be taken, in locating the adverb, to indicate clearly what word or clause it is designed to limit or modify. Neglect here often destroys the perspicuity of a sentence, or perverts its meaning.
The general rule requires adverbs, for the most part, to be placed before adjectives, after verbs active or neuter, and frequently between the auxiliary and the principal verb; as, "He pronounced a very excellent discourse." "Ile pronounced his discourse excellently, and was attentively heard."
1. The adverb is placed before the participles and the adverbs which it modifies; as, "He is much beloved." "He is very much beloved."
2. The adverb commonly follows a verb when single; as, "He fought bravely;" but when, without obscuring the sense, it will sound better to place the adverb before the verb, it may thus be placed; as, "He often came to the house."
3. The adverb usually follows the object of a transitive verb; as, "She recited her lesson admirably."
4. In a sentence containing one anxiliary verb and a participle, the adverb is usually placed between them, or after the participle; as, "He was politely treated;" or, "He was treated politely."
5. If the sentence contain two auxiliaries, the adverb generally follows the second; as, "He has been politely treated;" yet it may in this case also follow the participle; as, "He has been treated politely." Not unfrequently, for emphasis, the adverb precedes the auxiliaries; as, "And assuredly you were not ignorant of the fact."
6. Emphatic adverbs may commence a sentence; as, "Never was there a falser statement." Emphatic adverbs may be placed apart from the word they modify; as, "How wonderfully this man triumphed over every difficulty !" Interrogatory and exclamatory phrases and sentences require this position of the ad verb.
7. The adverb should not be used as an adjective, being not designed to express quality, but manner; as, "The then Congress." "Thine often infirmities." "It appeared strangely." "How beautifully she appeared!" In such cases an adjective should be used in place of the adverb. On the other hand, the adjective should not be used in place of the adverb; as, "excessive stupid," for "excessively stupid."
8. The adverb not follows, while the adverb never precedes, the principal verb (or its auxiliary), to which they refer; as, "He did not come, as he promised." No should not be used in the sense of not in such connections; as in the sentence, "He did not say whether he would go or no;" that is, no (go). It should be not. "She never comes to see us " "She comes not to see us."
9. Hence, thence, and whence should never be preceded by from as being implied.
10. Never use how before the conjunction that, nor instead of that; as, "He declared how that he would go;" "He declared how he would be there." It should be: "He declared that," &c.
11. The word enough follows the adjective and the noun; as, "Bread enough, and to spare." "The place was large enough." In the first of these instances, the word is used adjectively, and, as an adjective, should never be placed before the noun.
12. Do not place an adverb immediately after to of the infinitive; as, "Be careful to never violate the Sabbath." It should be written, "never to violate."
EXERCISES
Write correctly, as to arrangement and proper use of adverbs, the following sentences:
The bridge will be never completed. It is unpleasant continu ally to be at work. This construction sounds rather harshly. He impertinently spoke to me. The adjective is put absolutely. Such proceedings are of seldom occurrence. Velvet feels smoothly. Seldom or ever do we see those forsaken who trust in God. From thence he came to Rome. From hence you must discover your error. His place is enough large. You see how that not many wise men are called. I have near finished this lesson. I was aware how that they had heard it. He proceeded to wisely dis course upon the event. See whether this be thy son's coat or no. I have enough cake. Ascertain whether it is so or no. Nothing never can justify your net. From whence art thou? I did not like neither him nor his mother. Be sure to correctly locate the adverbs in a sentence. Nobody never invented nothing so complete as this machine. He was scarce sensible of it. Never take no shape nor appearance of hypocrisy. I have dissertations on the prophecies which have remarkably been fulfilled. He told me how that he would go to New York. Instead of looking contemptuously down on the crooked in mind or in body, we should look up thankfully to God, who has made us to differ. If you are blessed naturally with a good memory, continually exercise it.
